Business IS Pleasure [Dragonsong]

[Zero]

It was a quiet night, for the most part. Of course his nights were as busy or as quiet as he chose most of the time. Roman saw his only client of the night to the door, a middle-aged, but attractive woman who wore fine clothes that were hardly disguised by the slightly worn wool cloak and hood she hid behind. With a soft kiss on the back of her hand, he bid her good night, and watched as she hurried down the street while still attempting to hide her face from any witnesses.

Roman gently shut the door before turning to enter the sitting room just off the foyer. He always had a well-stocked alcohol cart there for entertaining his guests. With a glass of red wine poured he settled contently down on his sofa, sipping quietly as he stared into the fireplace. He had left tonight mostly free so that he could relax, but taking a night off seemed so boring, so he already regretted his decision not to schedule more clients. It was always this way. The incubus would convince himself that he should take a night for himself, then immediately regretted it. Could he really be blamed for always wanting to work when his job was just so enjoyable?

Well it was too late now. Roman would just have to survive the quiet solitude until the morning.

[DragonSong]

"You sure this is the place?" Noel rocked back on his heels, giving the building a cursory once over as he sucked on his bottom lip, a habit when he was growing frustrated.

His brother shot him a droll look. "About as sure as I can be," Leon snapped back-- though that unfortunately wasn't saying much. Their father hadn't exactly been particularly helpful in telling them where to find this half-brother he'd sent them after, but they'd done their best.

"Well..." Noel shrugged, then strode up to the door and knocked sharply. "Hullo! Anyone home in there?"

Leon hesitated back near the street, glancing warily from side to side. It would be just their luck to have found another wrong address; hopeful this time they wouldn't be chased off with brooms.

[Zero]

It was just about the time that Roman was actually starting to relax for lack of anything else to actually do, that his wandering mind was jogged back to alertness by sharp knocking. There was also a masculine voice calling at the front door. To call it peculiar was perhaps an understatement. Then again, maybe it was not so strange. He did have something of a reputation, perhaps this was a new client seeking him out. Of course if that was so, they clearly weren't concerned with discretion.

Roman got up rather lazily and made his way unhurriedly to the door, nearly empty glass of wine still in his hand. When he pulled the door open there was a rather tall and striking fellow standing on his front step, and another one by the street looking nervous. Well this was interesting, he definitely hadn't expected two strange fellows to call upon him at this hour.

"You know, I am usually very strictly a 'by appointment only' kind of gentleman, but lucky for you I've some free time tonight. How can I help you handsome fellows?" The half-incubus let his eyes wander between them both, eyes hooded as he bit his bottom lip coyly.

[DragonSong]

This was definitely the right place. Even if the man's appearance hadn't matched what their father told them to look for, the brothers would have been able to tell by the instinctive jolt of recognition, blood calling to blood.

Unsurprisingly, Roman did not seem to have the same feeling. It was understandable, of course, if he had been raised in the human world. Such senses were probably dulled, long out of practice if they had ever been used at all.

So Noel was able to keep himself in check when he gave the young man a tight smile in response and held up one hand in a "stop" gesture. "Believe me, good sir, you don't want to-- just don't," he muttered, his voice a tiny bit strained.

Leon, for his part, huffed a small laugh. He was no more comfortable with the thought of Roman's flirtatious manor being directed toward the two of them, but at least he wasn't the direct target-- and it was always a little fun to watch Noel squirm.

Still, he figured he should rescue his brother. Striding up beside him, the shifter folded his arms over his chest and said briskly, "We're here on personal business, actually. And no, that is not a euphemism. May we come in?"

[Zero]

Roman arched one delicate dark brow when he was given a gesture to stop his line of speaking. The poor thing seemed rather tense, or maybe terse? Hm. Not clients, he gathered, although what they might want if they weren't there for his services, well who the hell knew.

"Personal business." The half-incubus couldn't stop himself from speaking the words suggestively, it was pure habit. He couldn't help his incubus nature, nor the influences of being a prostitute. "Well if you're not here for that kind of business I really can't imagine what other business you could have with me."

Roman raised his mostly empty wine glass up and finished it casually as he watched the two, admittedly handsome, men, waiting to hear a real reason to let them inside his home.

[DragonSong]

Noel and Leon exchanged a glance that spoke volumes, the kind of look that only came from decades developing an unspoken understanding.

"I'm...not sure you want us to have that particular conversation on your front stoop," Noel said after a moment, looking back to Roman with an easy, charming smile. "Suffice to say it's...personal. To us, and to you. Sort of..."

"Family matters," Leon cut in bluntly. He quirked an eyebrow. "So unless you'd like that sort of discussion out here in the open...?"

[Zero]

"Family matters? Now that's interesting, because I don't really have a family." Roman looked them both over appraising them calmly. The one was trying to be charming, the other seemed very blunt, but it was amusing either way. What the hell, he was bored to death anyway, might as well see how this went.

"Well if you gentlemen insist, I suppose I can spare you a few minutes of my precious time." Roman stepped out of the way and gestured for them to come in. "Let's speak in the parlor, would either of you care for a drink? I have some very fine wines and liquors."

He stepped through to the room, heading with his glass to the alcohol cart so that he could pour himself more of the open wine.

[DragonSong]

"Sure, I'll take a glass--"

"Noel."

"What?"

Leon glared at his brother as they followed Roman into his home. The elder of the two let out a low whistle as he looked around. "Fancy place," he muttered. With a glance toward the half-shifter, he mouthed parlor, with an arched brow.

Leon snorted and rolled his eyes. What had he expected? They hadn't been given a lot of information initially, but all the asking around had revealed quite a bit about Roman's profession and reputation. Did Noel expect him to live in a hovel?

"So." He rolled his shoulders back, instinctively taking up a defensive position at Noel's side. "About this family you don't have--"

"Gods, Leon, and you say I'm tactless."

[Zero]

(It's been a real hot minute and I didn't know if you wanted to keep this thread, but I felt like posting for Roman, so here we are.)

Roman didn't bother attempting to hide a soft huff of amusement at the pair when one admonished the other for wanting to accept the invitation to have a drink. So that one's name was Noel, was it? Useful information, since neither had deemed it necessary to introduce themselves.

"Why thank you, I am rather fond of it." The house wasn't as grand as some nobleman's manor, but it was designed with a certain opulence in mind. Roman's clientele were people of lavish tastes - his place of business needed to reflect that and cater to what would suit those that frequented his residence. Not that he didn't also benefit greatly from the level of comfort he enjoyed here.

Roman had his back to them as he refilled his wine glass, the crimson liquid almost glittered in the firelight. He was still quite alert and aware of every move they made even while not looking at them. It was something of a sixth sense. He turned back around just as one of them brought up family again.

Ah, so the other's name was Leon. They seemed to know who he was, although given his reputation that wasn't all that surprising. Or maybe it was, considering they seemed to have no professional interest in him.

"Oh my, aren't you both adorable." Roman's voice was naturally an almost silky purr, and there was still a bit of a flirtatious lit to his tone, but he wasn't really all that interested in them anymore. Although it was amusing to watch and listen as they squabbled. Were they brothers? Yes, he would wager so, that seemed likely given what little of their interactions he had seen thus far.

With a rather relaxed, almost nonchalant, grace he dropped himself onto the sofa in front of the fireplace that he'd abandoned when they'd knocked on his door. He crossed one leg over the other, and the arm not occupied with bringing his wine to his lips  was slung casually over the back of the couch as he observed his unexpected guests with an easy smile.

"Please, have a seat, get a drink. Make yourselves comfortable. I want to know what business you think you have with me." The idea of discussing family with these strangers was almost bothersome, although he was an expert at not showing real emotions - only what people wanted to see.